Recording instrument for oil wells



Aug. 14, 1945.

C. R. DALE RECORDING 'INSTRUMENT FOR OIL WELLS 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 16, 1940 65 Mmm i @i 5 www Aug. 14, 1945. C. R DALE l I RECORDING INSTRUMENT FOR OIL WELLS Filed Dec. 16, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1min' Zwem/cf A. 0%;-

l INVENToR.-

AORN

c. R. DALE" RECORDING INSTRUMENT FOR OIL WELLS Aug; 14,1945.

Filed Dec. -1e, 1940 4 sheets-sheet s INVENTOR.-

ATTORNEY Aug. 14, Q R. DLE

RECORDING INSTRUMENT FOR OIL WELLS iled Dec. 16, 1940 4 She'efcSl-Sheet 4 15a' 36 f 155 12:6.' z2. l. 17a 5 '159 zsz .164

C2 mae-N65 A? DAL E IN V EN TOR:

ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 14, 1945*- RECORDING INSTRUMENT FOR. oIL WELLS Clarence R. Dale, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor, by 1 direct and rnesne assignments, of thirteen andv seventy-five one-hundredths per cent to vJ. R. Pemberton and forty-live per cent to-Technical Oil Tool Corporation, Ltd.,` Los Angeles, Calif.,

a corporation of California Application necembr 16, 1940, serial Nds'zozo 3 Claims.

My invention relates toa device for recording conditions in a, Well bore and which is particularly adapted to determining the location and character of the geological structure giving rise to Variations in certain of the recorded conditions.V

This application is a .continuation-impart of my copendingapplication vSerial No. 324,522, iiled Marchv 18, 1940, and .entitled Recording instrument for oil Wells.` l

In .the drilling of deepwell suchV asoil wells,.and in the production of oil and gas from such bores, it is essential that` knowledge behad of certain physical conditionswhich exist within the Well bore such as temperature,l pressure, for-v mation conductivity, angle of inclination of the` Well bore, direction of inclination, and like conditions. For.exemple',`it is .necessary .that acom-l plete survey or determination of the angle of inclination of the Well bore t the vertical and the direction of such inclination over the entire length of vth'ebore be-had in order ,toY determine the'actual horizontal location of the .bottom ofthe Well.

Similarly, knowledge ofthe depth atwhich certainy geological structures lor strata are encounteredis extremely useful in determining the manner of drilling adjacent wells, and a series of such sur- Veys is of material assistance in dening the probable limits or bounds of a particular oil pool.

There are now available numeroustypes vof instruments for measuring these physical conditions which exist in Wellbores, but there is not at presentavailable any entirely satisfactory device .or instrument for recording the measurements made by these measuring devices. The present recording devices may be classied as being of either of two types; namely, (1) Athose which are entirely, self-contained, and (2) those which are connected by means ofia signalling circuit to suitable recordingA equipment locatedat the ground surface..

In the case of th'e rst or self-contained type, the recording instruments` are den-cient in that the records which are provided are extremely small, the measurements being recordedithereon in an extremely reducedscale so that it becomes very diiicult to ascertain from an inspection of the record the magnitude of the condition which has been measured with anything approaching high accuracy. Furthermore, the self-contained recording instruments have an extremely limited range of magnitudeswhich they are capable of recording, thus limiting the usefulness of such devices to those Wells wherein the amount of variations in th'e condition to be recorded doesnot exceed thev capabilities of the instrument. n

Furthermore, each offthe various types of selfcontained recording instruments presently available are adapted for use in recording vthe measurements made by only a singletype of measuring instrument, thus'requiring the use of an entirely different recording instrument'structure for each of the various types of measuring instruments which are to be used for measuring diierentwell bore conditions. kThe self-contained typesoi recorders are, because of their'small sizeI delicate and expensive and subject to costly damage.l

Such delicate instruments require the employment of skilled technicians for 'l their `operation and maintenance. 1 l

The second type of recording unit embodies the disadvantages yinherent in providing a signalling circuit extending from thein'strument to ,the

ground surface. Among these disadvantagesmay be included the extremely high cost of vfthe lowering or supporting cable which must, of a necessity, include the electrical conductors for forming th'e signaling circuit and also the loss of ytime" and money attendant uponthe repairing of brakes in in the electrical conductor portions of s uch supporting cables. Furthermore, the recording instruments ofA this type are subject to considerable error as a result of the long transmission'circuit which is extended tothe ground surface' unless` elaborate and expensive means Ais employed for reducing this error to a negligible value.4 y

It is,"therefore,1an objectnof my invention to provide a recording instrumentfor use with a `de vice capable of measuring a selected physical condition existing in a Well borewh'icn instrument overcomes the above noted disadvantages bybeing entirely self-contained and operable independently of any' connection with groundV surface equipment, and by providing a record which is' drawn -to a much larger scale than that; which is produced by the present' recording devices,l

It is also an objectof my invention vto provide a recording instrument lof the character setforth in the preceding paragraph which includesfa long record strip to which is imparted a time controlled movement pas-t a recording element capable :of recordingthe magnitude of a condition measured' by the measuring device. Q l

It is an additional object of my invention to provide a recording instrument ofthe character set forthin the preceding paragraphs in which variations of magnitudeof the recorded condition are in thedirection of the Width of the record strip.

in the preceding paragraph in which thel total Y the -.interior ofthe solenoid `29.

member 26. and sealed thereto; as by',.ameans. of. apacking.gland 38;th'elowerendy 3,9 ofthe; conditionresponsive means ybeing; extended. exfteriorlyy .of... the housing 5,andgsu1119unded by means of-al guard member 4|] securedto the head member -26 as by meansof screwV threadsV 4I.v

.The sourceaof electric power .21 may .comprise one or more dry cell batterieswhich are received withinan. inner.; `housing -portion v42 which may. bel inserted into the interior off the .housing afterithe connector..1 and the, packing unit `1,3, are. removed.'therefrom. l'I'he innerhousinglAZ- isgpreferably closed at its upper.end,-,by` means of a plug 43 Ywhich serves also asfanelectrical connector forconnecting one terminal of the; batteries 21 ltothe-housing ,5. v.The plug meme ber 43 is-accordingly. preferablybored .as in dicatedv atv 44 and. recessed as. indicated .at 4 5 to receive and guide a pair of oppositely. disposed contact memberse46 and 41 which are adapted to be urged away from each other' as ,by. meansv ofwa compression spring, 48 .interposed vtherebetween, the contact pin 46 being adapted to enr gage one terminal ofthe battery 21; and the other.

contactf41 being engageable with theflower surface of` the member I9, whereby vanelectricall connection between one terminal olf` the battery andthe housing 5 is afforded. l l l 7The lower end of the housing42, is preferably; closed. as by means of a removable Vplug 52,,. the

plug 52 beingremovably secured to the lowerend I ofthe housing 42 as bymeans of a pinandbayo-` netslot construction 53. The plug member 52 vis preferably bored .as indicatedat54 toreceive an insulating` sleevey 55"within which is. mounted i spring pressed contact =pins 5Bvand 51adaptedto provide an electrical connection between the other terminal 58 ofrthe batteries-21 and a terminal 59 associated with thetime controlled commutatf. ing devicen28'. y t

The timecontrolled commutating deviee 28l is preferablyhoused. within a second inner housing portionfand includes afsuitable springl driyen clockwork (not shown) .arranged-todriyea com. mutator drum 6| which includes a pluralityof electrically conductive commutator segmentsylZy separated from eachother as byinsulated spacers 63. A brush member. isdisposed'in .a-position to alternately engagez the segments 62 and/the insulatedspacers V(ilias. the commutator 6l .is slowlyfrotatedfby the clockwork which isdrivably connectedthereto. r j Y, The inner housing 68 also supports the solenoid 29 which preferably. comprises an electrical coil =.having-a magnetic plungeror armaturey 65 supported for vertical slidingy movement-.within The plunger-.65 ispreferably guidedI during such sliding .moye-y ment asbyfaguiding member 66 and is normally urged into a :lowermost position as by. meansxof a compression 1 spring 61. Vinterposed between fthe guide member'and a lower end' 68. of thecoil comprisingrthe solenoid 29. i l A .The armature supports a spring pressed pawl or..hook Baadapted to engage aratchet'wheel 101so that luponvenergization of the solenoid 2li, theengagement of the hook' 63 with .the ratchet' wheel1ll wi1l..eflect a partialv rotation of.l the ratchet wheeluponthe resulting upward move-` ment of .the i armature .65 and so-thaty the. armature '65 maybe returned toits lowermostposi-L tion without imparting any rotation to the ratchet wheel .10 l. .f '1. .1 Ihefzratchet wheel.- 10 is :preferably: mounted uponza shaft 1I ...journaledfor rotation -inisuitable preferably journaled as indcatedat 11..lin`tha bearing. post. -1;2..,13 and as vindicated-at 1.8 f '1n-fa. transversely extending web memberor -plug,..19f, inserted into the lower .end ofthe inner'housing 60. vvThe llowerlendof thel shaft .1.6 carries a. wormfgear. which is A drivably engaged with a lworm-wheel (notshown) secured to aftransf;` versely extending shaft 8l. It is upon the :shaft: 8| thatgthefsprocket 30 is non-rotatablyisecured the .shaft 8| being suitably ,journaled `for rota-L andin a portion 82a of thehousing 60.'- is.: s Between the web member. 18 andthebearing.4 bracket 12-13 I supportl within the housing.lll.A

y; a rclockwork or other spring. drivenfmechanism:

83` to .the driven shaft of which is securedethe take-up reel 33,` the clockwork V831 beingrsoarf.- ranged as to tend to rotate the reel 33 inxa .direc-f tion t0 roll thereontherecord strip-3|v asit isfed:

- fromthe-sprocket 30, vthe speed of rotation ofthe i take-up reel 33 being controlled by thespeed aty which the .record strip 3l: isvadvanced by .the sprocket 3 0. Associatedwith the clockwork-:83y and housed withinasuitableinterior housing-84e thereis provided `asvfriction. device. adapted. to

resist, rotation ofthe shaft upon whichthe supply reel 32 -is mounted-so thatr .that portion ofV the.- record strip which isextended between the supply` reel 32 and the sprocket 30 is vmaintained taut: at all times'. l ,f y, Referring now to Fig, 10, it will be-.;noted Lthat one terminal of the batteries 21 is ,indicated at.- 85 as being connected toground, this .connection 85 Vrepresenting the partialY circuit` establishedrby, the connector pins 46 and 41.. The other ter1= minal of the. battery 21 isr connected asaboveE described lto the ,contact .terminal `59'from which is extended'a wire 8B into ,connection withzone terminal 81 of a mercury switch 88.1.;Themer-l cury Vswitch -lpreferablycomprises an/.envelope of Iinsulating material within which is .disposed a globule of mercury 89. `,The contact ,membersi 81,and are extended intothe .wallsof the .en Velope 88 in such position.astobefelectricallyinterconnected by the globule 89 of wmer'cury:` whenever theenvelope 88 is disposed in aaposi` s tion such,r as that illustrated in Fig. 10. 'l This-switch mechanism is preferably' mountedl inthe upperportion of the interior housing'y 8023 in such position that thevenvelope 88t occupies,

the position illustratedl in Fig. 10 Whenthelny strumentkhousing 5 is disposed substantially vertically. Thus, when the housing- S-.is'disposedl horizontally,r the switch contacts 81'and 90 .will be disconnected so as to disconnect the battery 21r from theremainder of the ,equipment tothere'- by-.conserve the life of the ybattery and: limit its operation to such time'as the housing 5fisfdis posedI :lnfan` uprightposition such as when it isi being lowered into a well bore.

The switch terminal 80 is preferablyconnected` as by means of conductors 9| and 82 toaresistlance v93 `connected in series circuit 84 withthef lincandescent lamp-35; The resistance 93 ispreferably of such form as to supplythe propervolt-lE age to the lamp 35, this lampvusually'being. de-v signedfor operation on a voltage econsiderably less' than thatv developed `by Athe :batteries 11.1 The conductor 9L is also connected asbyrneans! ofconductors95 arid96 to oneiterminal of. the

sento the range oftemperatures Zr1`oo 155 o` to 150,

.For the purpose' or identifying these ranges fr provide in' one of the vanes H15, Vthe vane'il Illa -for example, avpair `of radially'align'edj smalllifght transmitting rapertures |28`and |29 and in the next clockwise adjacent vanel |51) a 'singleapen lture |30, the third vane 5c being devoid' 'of such apertures: Preferably the'reco'rderjissolarranged l that the vvane |5c' is"identied with'the range of tempratures extending fromto to '150' F., wherethe-vane- Ll b fisf-idennna'with the' 'nextriigher temperature range,`a nd the vane I |521 isiden- Ytii'led with the range 'of 'temperaturesjektending 'posed in alignmentwithfthe''slity |22, they pro- 4duce marks |28', |29 and|3'o'n the recordstrip 3 Suppose, rvfor example, that thefrecordjstripf3| is moved past the'slit |22'in the direction in di-y cated by the arrow |3| At 'the time the instru- ;ment is placed in operation, the starting temperature lis observed. Let us ,suppose th'atgthis is found to be 5.0":.` Thus, the first'mark" |24d recorded y on th'e record( strip willfejzitendsubstantially the 'full' width of the strip so asto represent a tern',-

perature i'50 F. As ther temperature is gradually 'increased during the travel of the record strip 3| past the sur 122, the marks |24 will gradually be reduced inlength until the temperature has been increased to 150 F.,'vat which time there willbe produceda second long mark |24b. As the temperature isstill further increased, th'ese marks will'gr'adually reduce in length until the tempera.-

ture of 250 F, is reached, at which timeja third long mark |2||c will be produced.

SinceL the' marksin the rangen the marks |241) and `|24`c zare produced ,byfthe action of the light valve'v'ane llbfftherewillbe produced'adjacent th'e high temperature end of `this range the short series of marks|l which serve to identify. the range |26 as beingthat lying Similarly, the range |214 between 150 and 250.

be properly-identified lby the marks |28 and It ywill be observed that at least with respect to the recording of conditions existing ina well borel `which conditions are not subject to rapid ch'anges in magnitude to any substantial degree, the marks 42s', |19] and 13p' serve to properly identify ythe lteniperature ranges resulting from a rotation of thev `light valve H4 in excess of `one revolution. Thus, as is indicated yony the upper'portion vof 6j; there rmight be produced a v`fourth series of marks 24 lindicating a temperature range which is'lidentied by the reference character |32. l If thisrange is produced bythetemperatures lying between 350 and 450 F.,the vlength of themarks |24 comprising such range willbe `controlledI by the action of the vane also and so will conform in appearance on 'the record Ystrip 3| to the previously recorded range' |25.` `However, reference tothe record' as a whole will indicate that thfe tempera- Itures recorded by the instrumentV are `gradually and substantially steadily increasing so that it c-an be truthfully presumedv vthat the range .|32is associated with temperatures above 3,50.a Elrather than"temperatures lying in the range of from elrtoifr.7 fif] l The wictn ofthe' reoordstrip may be caused to represent any desired fractionalportion of the total capacityof the measuri'ngdevice'to which it is attached, dopendingo'por theI umbor'of vanesz' l'which are provi-ded on the ,light valve |4v and the number of revolutions ythrough which is made of the'time at which'the'instrum'ent is started travelling/downwardly through the-well bore.' l'Ihe instrumentis preferably lowered at a constant rate `of'speed Vand ncteis made ofsuch rate 'of lowering'so thlatthe location of theinstrument in the well bore `(aan be determined at anytimev by calculation from 'therate of4 lowering and the elapse` of time from the instant? the instrument wass'tarted in its' downward travel. Consequently',upon development, the record 'strip `3| win reveal upon inspectiontheL depth at which cach of the'variousmtemperatures or other-conditions recorded thereon were recorded,"since`, as

above described, the reco-rd strip 3l; is'notched,

ahead a predetermined distance a Ipredetermined number of "times'per minute' sothat a given length lof-record 'strip represents a pedel'emined'felapse of'time. Thisy time lapse, compared with the known rate of lowering' of the "instrument, indif reference catesdirectlythe-dep'th at whichfthe temperature or other condition'was'recorded.

n YThemagnitudeof 'the' condition as recorded on thefrecord strip may be translated in terms" of known units, such'as degrees ll5*`ahrenheit',fr pounds per square'inch, or similar units by firstcalbrating .the instrument to determine what'r'angeof magnitude is representedby the shortening 'ofa 'line |24 from itsmaximum possible length to'ze'ro.

"In the caseof4 a-temperature recording device,

such'a's above described, the calibration would reveal that" the maximum".shorteningv of the lline rrrwomd @representative of romeo-that when 'the strip is inspected-,the proportional 'amount 'of shorteningof a particular line to the longest one of such" lines`r capable :of being recorded? the 'strip represents-the proportional increase in'mag'- 'nitude above theflfrnownVY starting' or reference magnitude." For ekamplaassume that itis' desired to ascertain they temperaturewhich is represented by a 'relatively short rline 'ide'ntifledffby character |24`e-`in 'Fi'glo and that'this line is "one-'fourth the length of the line" |24a.' `lt wiu'be reoaued that tnejrange of temperatures covered by th'e` range|25fis 100"F.='andth`e 'base or reference temperature' 'represented by` the-line '|24a is 50h15'. The -amount of'shortening'of fthe record lines 2&4" which is represented by the lline l| 24e is three-'fourths the magimum'pos'sible length of Athe line or soth'at ythe ltenlperat'ure represented by menne |24ejis5op1us'75'or 125 F;

I have found it desirable,` vfo'rftlie purpose of vmaking precise and accurate measurements'j'of the magnitudes vIepfesented by 'the' lines 21|",lv to enlarge or magnify the record contained o'r'the record vstrip '3| 'and for this'purpose resortmay behad to an apparatus of the character illustrated in Fig.' 91* This apparatus includes' a light source |33 equipped with 'a' suitable condensing' means l 34 adapted to project arelatively strong'bearniof iight through the reo'ordstripsl which is, pref.-

. images |39 of the record lines |24. This magnification may be..-limited to" the directionaofi .the

length :of such lines as by; providing :a tracing stylus |40 mounted as bymeans'of ari-annui and --igmiding members v|342 `for'rxiovement'.-solely .in the .fdirectionlof-:the length .ofthe imagesand by f supporting 1bbt-h1therecordistripr3| :and the tij-ansliroent`;strip V| 31 zfor',si-mu-ltaneous :synchronous accom asiby .a pivotv bearing .|66 formed in the upper end of an axially aligned shat imi-Which in :tum may Vice iou-rualedfat its ilowerend'ias by :means rof a *movementrj Buchan :arrangementinay-include supporting and driving 'rollers lHi8 and `.|64 for the -translucent .lstripvvl3-'l iandfsimilar rollers |45 .and |46;.for.therecordstrip ai, these two sets jof roll- -beingidrfivalily interconnected .as by a drive ,means |141. j

` In operation, the record strip and the trans#- i.-luoerrtstrip |31 alremovedisixnultaneously and the 'tracingv v:stylus IM iis :moved -baok andy iorth tin rits guides M2 in such .manner as to trace the locus :of the aendsiof the imsges;|39. This will provide f l sa record strip `having `va considerably enlarged :scale as 'measured .in `Aa; direction transversely of fthe record v.st-rip ,andparallel to lthe length ofnthe record lines |24 but which will embody -the same l scaleias regards distances measured in the-length `of the strip. iChoice'ot as'uitable Idrive ratio-in thexdrive means :MPI .will pro-vicle'ior any desired magnification of .the .scale as regards measurements in .the direction .of the flengthlof the strip..

Itwili be mated that by means =of thiscurve' ,the .variation of weil bore condition with .depth-of borelmayfbe produced. ,Attention .is also directed pivot xbearing ffl-551 Y formedon-the lupper sur-face Iof theslowercmlmembera;y

,connectedv .with ,each other as by means offdouble v.reduction .gearing n|68 so that-apartialzrevolution 'of `shafts-|56 result in -one for more joomplete 4revol-utions 4.of` the shaft.4 :Secured to the shaft |66 :is amermamentgbarfmagnet .KI-.Elois- 4posedin .the interiorof a substantially cylindrical magnejtcol |60. A hairspring |f6.l may beein- -ployed torre/sitting ,rotation of .the ,shat .|56 .and for returningy the bar magneti llto anintial ,or restl position.v The magnet |58, coil -lln'and hair .spring I 6A comprise 4a ggalvax-iometer vof such characterthatthe angularpcsrtionloffthe magnet :Irilfrelativentc ythe yaxis 7Vof the coil i60 is .deterP mined by .the magnitude of the electrical current ilowingthrough thecoil |60.

VCine terminal fof: .the coil |60. .maybe connected asby means @rfa-conductor |62 (see Ries. -ll aand `135).izo'tlie upper .endiof ank electrode |63. This drawing :appara-tus, a f complete curve .or graph -of to'the'iaetithat atthetime suche lcurveis traced n by the tracing :stylus MII., .a lateral shift of the transluoemxtfstnip i-lmaylne made at thetime a.

rtransitiongis madefirom .one-ott' the magnitude lrangesitotheyotherof the rangesrecorded on the strip 3| jso that ta single gcurve -orfg'raph extended A.over the entire @range rprol'l'rlced'.Y i

of lmeasurenients.may .be :Reference has -beerxfhad hereinbeiore4 to the huse -of therecording' vldevioeA above described 'for the measurement of well bore vconditions other Athan temperatures.. `I ,have illustrated :in Figs. 7

` .and 85a tonmiofweondition'measuring ,means y.3-1

fwihiohmay be employed rior the lmeasurement of fpmssune andV which may ybe coupled to the 4record- .connection nriagy be `afforded by passing Ythe .con- `ductor M62 .through-an. aperture .|164 formed in the .lower end member ..26 landthe aperture L64 .maybe sealed as rby .means offa packingzgland |65. .The lowerend .of the end-member |26 is fpreferablyinfternally bored` `and vthreaded .as indicated Vat `|67! vto receive@ relatively longbar of'iinsulatng -material .m8,` throushthe center-of `which is `oxtended thefelectitode |63, the .lowerend |166 ofthe electrode |63I being exposed las is indicated --in ThQOtherteIjmixialof/the 0.0i] |60 ispreferably connected .as by :means of a conductor- .'Ie'm -to the battery conductor@ previously described :so that sincefgthe opposite terminal lof the vbattery is .ingdevioedd Ito cause `that ,device toV operate in fthelmanner :above deseribedlto reoord the mamitudegof pressures existing. in the well bore." l

- in the tormfof .the device .illustrated .in Fig.` 7,

' the vshaft' .66 1 is preferably journaled *for srotation ntf-its llower and as by 'means oiapivot l'bearing |46 grounded asindicated at 5, the-electrode |53 is l strument andeventually back tothe casing 5 ,or

l.the 'instrument must pass l through .the V.coil `f|f60 and `the ,magnitude lof .this v.omtrent lis :determined and is fprovided fits upper end with a :driving .armdmhich fisfsuitablysecuredto 4tlie'shaft 136 andvls'mreferably connected -as indicated :at '|51 to -the upperfeend .of -.a`.'he1ica,1 Bourdon ltube |52, the Voponend v:|153 cof `which iis extended through 'thexlower endlmiember 26 'and packedioff yas by .means aafla packing rglam-1 |54". .The .lower -.end

:In orf fthe Bourdontube-may .be protected-as .by

` jmeansloftheguardaill,

through which. .this

by` the` .resistance Aor :conductivity :of `the ,path y current ,iows. V.Since .this path .of Acurrent ilow includes `at least a -portion of the formation .or stratasurrounding itheinstruthe conductivity .off-the formation so "that ithe angular position of Athetrrlagnet -lll Arelative to the .axiscf thelcoil .L60 is :an indication loftherelative l conductivityofthe-formation. f

. It `will be :noted .that fas the pressure eicis'ting y y .in-.the well bore is increased,-;the mpper'endof the Bourdon .tubewill be .caused ito .rotate and this .romtion Willibe itransmittedby meansof the shaft 6650 l.fthe light'fvalve IH seas to produce alrecord vif:theclsiaracter previously described;v .l

Similarly, the recording fdevice of my invention y .meyibe lused to'frecord :the-electrical resistancecr conductivityfcf the various formations through which Lthe'well isfextendedas tay-employing Aa condition ,measuring ymeans 35| of .the character valve .ll 4 .preferahlyjoiimaled latits lower fBy means ofthe `interconnection between the shafts |56 2and-.36 the angular position .of .the magnet .|59 is .caused to be recorded in the Fmanner preyiouslydescribed by operationf the Llight valve '|.|.4 upon ytherecord strip 3 I :so-.that with-the form-lof .the deviceillustrated inllig. Il, lftherecord strip .is caused tto bear :a series .foffmarhs representi-xiethe relative magnitudes of the conductivity .of .the :different `-.formations through which the instrumentA .is :.passed.. l(Attention is y directed fto the'fact that `the various circuits illustrated vin Eig.. 13. and not speciically described 4fin the fimmediate .preceding .paragraphs are identical in theirmanjnerof connectionand operation with Eig. 10 preyipuslvdescribed.) -,..,From .the foregoing it will ,be observed'- khave 'provided a unique recording .instrument that i which is adapted to record the magnitude of various physical conditions existing in a well bore and that the instrument may be readily adapted to the recording of many diierent types of physical conditions.

It will also be noted from the foregoing that by reason of the unique construction employed, the

device of my invention 4permits the magnitudes which are recorded by the instrument to be `represented on a much larger scale than has hitherto been possible, this result being achieved by recording the various condition magnitudes in a series of scales or ranges each less than the total capacity of the measuring device with which the recording device is used.

Attention is also directed to the fact that by driving the record strip at a predetermined rate of speed and by noting the time at which'the record is started and the rate at-which the instrument is lowered into the Well bore, a direct identii'lcation of a particular condition magnitudewith a particular depth is permitted.

' While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to any of the details of construction shown or described herein, except as defined in the appended claims. y

I claim:

1. In a device for recording the magnitude of physical conditions existing in a Well bore vas measured by a condition measuring means attached to said device and including also an elongated light sensitive record strip, a light source, slit dening means'disposed between said light source and said record strip in a position to perlmit casting upon said record strip a narrow line each of said vanes being so shaped as to eclipse progressively larger portions of said slii-l upon progressive movement of said vane therepast; and means interconnecting said light valve and said condition measuring means in such manner as to causesaid progressively increased amounts of movement of said movable member upon prod gressive variations of said condition over progressively increased ranges of magnitudes.

2. In a device for recording the magnitude of physical conditions existing in a well bore as measured by a condition measuring means attached to said device and including also an elongated light sensitive record strip, a light source, slit defining means disposed between said light source, and said record strip in a position to permit casting upon saidv record strip a narrow line of light extending transversely of the width of said record strip, and -means for moving said strip longitudinally past said slit at a predetermined rate, the combination of: a light valve for controlling the length of said line of light comprising a movable member having a plurality of uniformly spaced vanes disposed in positions to sucl cessively eclipse said slit in response to progressively increased amounts of movement of said member, each of said vanes being so shaped as to eclipse progressively larger portions of said slit upon progressive movement of said vane therepast; means associated with said vanes'for prof gated rlight sensitive record strip, a light source,

slit definingv means disposed between said light source and said record strip in a position to permit casting upon said record strip a narro-w line of light extending transversely of the width of said record strip, and means for moving said strip longitudinally past said slit at a predetermined rate, the combination of z a light valve for controlling the length'of said line of light comprising a movable member having a plurality vof uniformly spaced vanes disposed in positions to successively eclipse said slit in response vto progressively increased amounts of movement of said member, each of said vanes being so shaped as to eclipse progressively larger portions of said slit upon progressive movement of said vane therepast, at least one of said vanes having an aperture therethrough disposed in a position to be moved into alignment with said light source and slit upon movement of said vane to a predetermined position relative to said slit, whereby there is castv on said record strip in addition to said line of light a spot of light serving to identify that portion of said record strip as being made through the action of said one vane; and means interconnecting said light valve and said condition measuring means in such man.. ner as tov cause said progressively increased amounts of movement of said v'movable member upon progressive variations of said condition over progressively increased ranges of magnitudes.

CLARENCE R. DALE. 

